This invention relates to a text processing method which may be practiced by a handicapped person who has access to a personal computer. Many word processing programs are available for editing and organizing text material, but these programs require entry of raw text via a keyboard. If an operator has normal eye-hand coordination, it is a relatively simple matter to produce neatly typed documents using such systems. However, these systems are not suitable for use by a person who has lost the normal use of the hands. Often times such persons have sufficient voluntary movement control for operating one or more fairly large switches but are unable to perform other more complex manual tasks. Accordingly, there exists a need for a system which will enable such handicapped persons to create processed text.
The problem of enabling communication by the handicapped has been addressed in a number of ways by the prior art. For instance, Kafafian U.S. Pat. No. 3,781,802 discloses a communication system comprising a plurality of keys which are configured for actuation by a handicapped person. These keys may be operated in various sequences for selection of solenoids which will cause the printing of symbols of the type appearing on a conventional typewriter keyboard.
Kafafian U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,599 discloses a communication system for the handicapped having a single-input transducer or switch for operation of a typewriter or the like. By operating the switch, the handicapped person causes the system to step through a two-dimensional matrix for selection of a symbol to be printed.
Dufresne U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,521 discloses a communication system wherein a series of symbols are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix for selection from an associated keyboard. The keyboard has UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, RECORD, and PLAY BACK switches which may be operated by a handicapped person to control selection of symbols from the array. Each symbol has an associated indicator light that is energized when the associated symbol has been selected.
It will be appreciated that all of the above prior art devices require tedious symbol-by-symbol selection. They merely replace a typewriter keyboard with another different type of keyboard. Thus their operating speed is a direct function of the speed at which a handicapped person is able to operate the switches. A somewhat different system is disclosed in Brown U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,753 wherein an electrical switch may be operated to select a plural digit number. The selected number corresponds to a message which may be any desired length. Another communication device which is not limited to selection of individual symbols is disclosed in Willough U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,998. In the Willough patent, means are provided for selecting either symbols or words from a message block. Clearly, neither the Brown nor the Willough device is suitable for text processing.